Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook, following packet directions, until tender.

Step 2

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add pancetta and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until pancetta is crisp.

Step 3

Drain pasta and return to saucepan. Add egg, pancetta mixture, three quarters of the parmesan and salt and pepper. Toss over low heat until well combined. Spoon pasta into bowls. Top with remaining parmesan and serve.

Note: You can buy pancetta from the supermarket deli. Bacon is also suitable.

Best carbonara I've made -though I usually avoid making it because I always end up with scrambled eggs. I used ham as that's what I had on hand and added 1/2 an onion to the mix and some semi dried tomatoes. Also used some cream with the egg mix. Yum!

3.5Boudicea added this comment at
08:39am Fri 7th October, 2011

I gave it 2 stars, because any card carrying italian cook will tell you it needs cream. Add the cream to the eggs prior to mixing into the pasta and voila. C'est five stars.

3.5johnduda added this comment at
07:38pm Sun 18th September, 2011

Easy to make, but not very tasty.
Add some onions in the pancetta/bacon + garlic mix.

5ChrisHua123 added this comment at
01:32pm Tue 23rd August, 2011

It was a bit salty but I enjoyed it :D

5sevensuris added this comment at
09:40pm Tue 29th June, 2010

very easy to make and my four fussy eaters gave it the thumbs up! Will definately be making this again :-)

JNS replied at
09:03am Mon 25th July, 2011

"definitely"

5tdeges rated this recipe at
12:16pm Tue 4th May, 2010

4vwoods03 added this comment at
08:58pm Thu 8th November, 2007

Wasn't quite what I was expecting, found it a bit bland and tasteless. Next time think I will put some cream in it as well to help blend it together. Also the eggs scrambled when added to pasta (not sure if that's what is meant to happen!) which probably didn't help. Very easy and quick to cook though.

4katytron added this comment at
08:50pm Thu 22nd February, 2007

Tried it with bacon cubes, and may have over done the parmesan (as if that's possible), but otherwise very impressive!